Lausanne Weekend Market

I adore going to markets here in Europe.  Every time we take a trip to a new location, the local markets are almost certain on our “must-see” (and “must-taste”) list – Besides cities en Suisse, I’ve been to markets so far also in France, Austria and Italy, and they continue to be one of my favorite attractions no matter where I am traveling.  Most major cities in Switzerland have at least one a week, and almost assuredly on Saturday mornings.  In Lausanne, a moderate sized city on the coast of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), the streets find themselves lined with tents and stalls of various produce, flowers, and foodie goods as throngs of people wander about eyeing all there is to buy, and the occasional musician entertains the crowd on his clarinet.  Although it’s quite a trip to make it into town with the baby girl, she loves looking at all of the hustle and bustle and taking everything in, and I like fantasizing about all sorts of meals I want to cook with the world’s bounty displayed on every street corner.

Some of the market’s gems in August….

Gorgeous berries are in season now:

And yes, beautiful gluteny bread:

And of course produce galore:

One of my favorite parts about exploring markets like these is not just the produce, but all of the great artisanal products as well.  Particularly tasty are the stands from the various fromageries and charcouteries of the area, featuring regional or du pays cheeses and saucisses, such as Macheret Fromage – maker of some of the best chèvre (goat) and brebis (sheep) cheeses I’ve had en Suisse (and of course there are also the components to my favorite Swiss treat, meringues au vin cuit and double crème!):

Or even some of the non-Swiss specialties, such as a few of my favorite Italian stands.  How can one not be tempted with such a gorgeous wheel of parmesan on display?

The owner of this particular stand introduced himself as Guido, and happily posed for quick portrait while slicing a piece of that gorgeous parm for us.  He sold some cheeses and cured meats – and that’s when we caught a glimpse of this bacon….

My husband’s favorite treat was the mozzarella fumé from another Italian stand…

And then I turned the corner, and saw an entire stand devoted to nougat.  Wheels upon wheels of various flavors, melt in your mouth soft, they are impossible to resist!

One of the other great things about the weekend market is that not only food is sold. An entire section is full of crafts and secondhand items, a food blogger’s paradise to stroll through the tables of goods and go hunting for interesting props to buy – you never know what you might find that could possibly inspire your next photo…

Going to markets is always an exciting adventure for me, no matter where I am.  I love the surprise and discovery at seeing various specialties being sold, as well as the chance to pick up some great tasty treats for my next dinner